22 Feb The European Blues Challenge will take place in Katowice (Poland) from 16 to 18 April 2026.

 

European Blues Challenge 2026, Katowice, Polònia

 

Mark 16 to 18 April in your calendars!

Katowice, in southern Poland, is an important center of commerce, business, transportation, and culture. It’s the home of many national and internationally renowned popular music festivals like Rawa Blues, which is said to be the world’s biggest indoor blues festival.

HOW TO ARRIVE:

From Krakow airport and Bus to Katowice:

 

From Krakow Airport and Train to Katowice:

 

From Katowice Airport to Katowice Center:

The official currency in Poland is zloty (PLN). 1 PLN is about 0.25 euros; 1 euro is about 4 PLN

 

ACCOMODATION

The official EBC Hotel will be:
HOTEL MERCURE KATOWICE CENTRUM
Młyńska 6, 40-098 Katowice
+48 32 797 88 00
https://all.accor.com/ssr/app/accor/rates/B580/index.en.shtml
email: hb580-re@accor.com

 

The hotel offers a total of 268 guest rooms

THE EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLENGE:

Link to buy tickets for EBU members partners and general audience:
https://tickets.ebc26.eu

SEMI-FINALS
Thursday 16^th & Friday 17^th
Miasto Ogrodów
plac Sejmu Śląskiego 2

Thursday timeline:
16:00 Doors open
16:30 Welcoming Ceremony
17:00 First semifinal: 12 acts with 20-minute break
23:30 Announcement of the 4 classified acts

Friday 17 timeline:
16:00 Doors open
17:00 Second semifinal: 12 acts with a 20-minute break
23:30 Announcement of the 4 classified acts

The two Semi-Finals, The Blues Market. GA & Workshops will be held at Katowice Miasto Ogrodów (Cultural Center)

PERFORMANCE ORDER AT THE EBC:
The performance order was defined by a raffle at the EBU Board Meeting in Katowice on 11 October 2025:

Thursday 16^th April Semi-final (A):

1. Portugal: Midnight Club Blues Band
2. Denmark: Big Martin Band
3. Spain: Sirjo Cocchi & Balta Bordoy-The Blues Way
4. Poland: Red Chirowski & Pan Wydro
5. Greece: Lava Blues
6. Switzerland: Eve Gallagher Band

20 minutes break

7. Sweden: Jenny Blue & The Tombstone Shadows
8. UK: Emma Wilson
9. Germany: Sean Athens Band
10. Luxembourg: Rockin’ Dukes
11. Italy: Gloria And The Doctors
12. Finland: Unna with Helge Tallqvist Band

Friday 17^th April Semi-final (B):

1. Hungary: Kustan Adam
2. Austria: Boogie Kathi & The Muddy Bluesmen
3. Estonia: South Of Savoy
4. Norway: Adama Janlo
5. Georgia: The FreeRide Experience
6. The Netherlands: The Hoochies

20 minutes break

7. Bulgaria: Kamen “Katsata” Band
8. Romania: Green Onions Experience
9. Croatia: Jadran & Imperfect State
10. Belgium: Tom Eylenbosch
11. Czech Republic: Marc Slight & One “O” Eight
12. France: The Supersoul Brothers

More information at:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/1aiqho912cmfmbd4y1bzf/AM8T3Il62KX-br-uKYFRvZ4?rlkey=s0nfu741d77ed3ox8bznckoab&e=1&st=szp2hoe2&dl=0

THE GRAND FINALE
Saturday 18^th
NOSPR Concert Hall
plac Wojciecha Kilara 1

Timeline:
16:00 h:       Doors open
17,00 h:        Delivery of the following awards:
EastTop Harmonica Award to the best harmonica player
Delfina Blues guitar to the best guitar player
17:30 h.        EBC Grand finale: 8 acts with a 20-minute break
21,20 h.        Awards ceremony:
Announcement of the Blues Behind the Scenes Awards.
Delivery of “It’s a Blues City” Diploma
Announcement of the best solo/duo act
Announcement of the EBC winners
Short performance by the winners
22.30 h:        End

The Grand Finale will be held at the NOSPR Concert Hall (National Radio Symphony Orchestra)

Performance order of The Grand Finale with the four best classified acts from both Semi-finals:

1. B3
2. A1
3. B4
4. A3

20 minutes break

5. A4
6. A2
7. B2
8. B1

Prize awards for the winners include performing at the following confirmed festivals:

• BB Blues Festival (Portugal), June
• Sierre Blues Festival (Switzerland), June
• Santa Maria Blues Festival (Portugal), July
• Notodden Blues Festival (Norway), August
• Swing Wespelaar (Belgium), August
• Blues in Hell (Noruega), September
• Cerdanyola Blues Festival (Spain), October
• Blues Alive Festival (Czech Rep), November

Waiting for new confirmations to arrive in the next days.

THE BLUES MARKET
Thursday 16^th & Friday 17^th
Miasto Ogrodów
plac Sejmu Śląskiego 2

The legendary EBC Blues Market is a free, unique opportunity for all EBU Members to present their activities in an informal setting, to meet, interact and communicate with other blues professionals, media, and enthusiasts, as well as to meet with the EBC participant bands, as well as with blues lovers too.

Blues Market en Split 2025

There are expected many blues friends to attend the EBC and the Blues Market, as well as some professional companies, and a dedicated space for different luthiers.

WORKSHOPS
Saturday 18^th April
Miasto Ogrodów
plac Sejmu Śląskiego 2
Time: 14:30 – 15:30 and 15:30 – 16:30

Two interesting workshops will take place led by two specialists in the matter

THE BLUES EXPO
Our European Blues Expo Photo Exhibition will be in the form of a digital presentation with awesome photos by many photographers from the previous EBCs to reminisce the past EBC editions.
The Blues Expo will take place in the foyers of both venues.

COLLABORATION TO STRENGTHEN THE BLUES SCENE IN EUROPE

The 14th edition of the European Blues Challenge is being made possible thanks to the close collaboration between the EBU, the City of Katowice and Trovas Soltas, an organization which has been working for years to promote live blues music and blues artists in Portugal.